In the Waves (Dans les Vagues)1889 · Study 1978.63

Context from the museum

Painted at Pont-Aven in northwest France, this depiction of a nude figure throwing herself into the sea suggests a metaphor for a modern European woman forsaking civilization and abandoning herself to her natural, primitive instincts. The simplified lines and exaggerated colors, especially the contrasting green and orange, seem invented rather than observed from life. Exhibiting the painting at the Café Volpini in Paris in 1889, Gauguin established himself as a leader of the Symbolist movement in art.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Gauguin likely painted this work of art during his time in a small coastal village called Pont-Aven where he sought to immerse himself in nature and escape modern civilization.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for In the Waves (Dans les Vagues) is 72.4 cm wide and 92.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 28.5 × 36.4 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.78:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.67 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 24.1% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 113.8 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With In the Waves (Dans les Vagues) in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 72.4 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?